When the university opened in 1890, the university library was located in the only campus building, which was destroyed by fire in 1903. A new library was constructed and opened in 1904, but the university's needs and collections quickly outgrew a space that was intended to last for decades. The Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $75,000 in 1917 to construct yet another library building that could be expanded in the future, but subsequent legislatures did not appropriate necessary funds to allow the project to move forward.[4]
In 1927, state officials budgeted $500,000 for construction of a new, three-story library. New facilities included a "treasure room" to hold rare books and special collections and separate spaces for graduate and undergraduate work. A reading room, known today as the Great Reading Room, held the bulk of the 105,000 volumes the university then owned. The new library was dedicated on February 21, 1929.[4]
Under George Lynn Cross, the University's seventh president, a 1958 addition effectively tripled the size of the structure. After a generous donation by Doris W. Neustadt, a 1982 addition was completed during the William S. Banowsky administration.
Presently, Bizzell serves as the flagship research library in the state of Oklahoma and of the University's system of eight libraries on the Norman campus that hold a combined 5 million volumes. Bizzell also houses the University Libraries administration; the History of Science, Nichols Rare Books, Bass Business and Bizzell Bible Special Collections; and the University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies. The University of Oklahoma Library System is a member of the Association of Research Libraries and is the second largest system of libraries in the Big 12 Conference.
Desegregation landmarkedit
The Great Reading Room in 2006.
The library is historically significant for its association with the racial desegregation court case of George McLaurin, a retired black professor who applied to the university to pursue a doctorate in education. McLaurin was at first denied admission to the university solely on the basis of race, in accordance with Oklahoma law at the time. After a court ruling, he was admitted, but under the separate but equal doctrine he was given a desk in the mezzanine of this building, rather than being allowed use of the regular reading room. He appealed the segregation up to the Supreme Court, in McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.[5] In this, and a companion cases, Sweatt v. Painter, the Supreme Court limited Plessy v. Ferguson. The decisions were precedents for the more famous Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954.
For its association with segregation and the court case overturning it, the building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001.[5][6]
^ abSalvatore, Susan Cianci (September 1, 2001). (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
^"Accompanied by photos" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory.
External linksedit
University of Oklahoma Libraries
January 01, 1970
bizzell, memorial, library, known, also, bizzell, library, five, story, brick, structure, located, university, oklahoma, norman, oklahoma, elaborate, collegiate, gothic, cherokee, gothic, building, designed, architecture, firm, layton, hicks, forsyth, erected,. The Bizzell Memorial Library known also as Bizzell Library is a five story brick structure located at the University of Oklahoma in Norman Oklahoma It is an elaborate Collegiate Gothic or Cherokee Gothic building designed by the architecture firm Layton Hicks amp Forsyth and erected in 1928 during the administration of OU s fifth president William Bennett Bizzell Bizzell Library University of OklahomaU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkThe original entrance to Bizzell Memorial LibraryShow map of OklahomaShow map of the United StatesLocation401 W Brooks Street Norman OklahomaCoordinates35 12 28 N 97 26 44 W 35 20778 N 97 44556 W 35 20778 97 44556ArchitectLayton Hicks amp ForsythArchitectural styleCollegiate GothicNRHP reference No 01000071Significant datesAdded to NRHPJanuary 3 2001 1 2 Designated NHLJanuary 3 2001 3 Contents 1 Building history 2 Desegregation landmark 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksBuilding history editWhen the university opened in 1890 the university library was located in the only campus building which was destroyed by fire in 1903 A new library was constructed and opened in 1904 but the university s needs and collections quickly outgrew a space that was intended to last for decades The Oklahoma Legislature appropriated 75 000 in 1917 to construct yet another library building that could be expanded in the future but subsequent legislatures did not appropriate necessary funds to allow the project to move forward 4 In 1927 state officials budgeted 500 000 for construction of a new three story library New facilities included a treasure room to hold rare books and special collections and separate spaces for graduate and undergraduate work A reading room known today as the Great Reading Room held the bulk of the 105 000 volumes the university then owned The new library was dedicated on February 21 1929 4 Under George Lynn Cross the University s seventh president a 1958 addition effectively tripled the size of the structure After a generous donation by Doris W Neustadt a 1982 addition was completed during the William S Banowsky administration Presently Bizzell serves as the flagship research library in the state of Oklahoma and of the University s system of eight libraries on the Norman campus that hold a combined 5 million volumes Bizzell also houses the University Libraries administration the History of Science Nichols Rare Books Bass Business and Bizzell Bible Special Collections and the University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies The University of Oklahoma Library System is a member of the Association of Research Libraries and is the second largest system of libraries in the Big 12 Conference Desegregation landmark edit nbsp The Great Reading Room in 2006 The library is historically significant for its association with the racial desegregation court case of George McLaurin a retired black professor who applied to the university to pursue a doctorate in education McLaurin was at first denied admission to the university solely on the basis of race in accordance with Oklahoma law at the time After a court ruling he was admitted but under the separate but equal doctrine he was given a desk in the mezzanine of this building rather than being allowed use of the regular reading room He appealed the segregation up to the Supreme Court in McLaurin v Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 5 In this and a companion cases Sweatt v Painter the Supreme Court limited Plessy v Ferguson The decisions were precedents for the more famous Brown v Board of Education case in 1954 For its association with segregation and the court case overturning it the building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001 5 6 See also editList of National Historic Landmarks in Oklahoma National Register of Historic Places listings in Cleveland County OklahomaReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bizzell Memorial Library National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 Oklahoma Historical Society State Historic Preservation Office Bizzell Library National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Archived from the original on July 3 2007 Retrieved January 18 2008 a b Dedicating Our Library PDF Sooner Magazine 2 7 247 254 Retrieved May 10 2016 a b Salvatore Susan Cianci September 1 2001 National Historic Landmark Nomination Bizzell Library University of Oklahoma PDF National Park Service Archived from the original PDF on May 25 2011 Retrieved April 23 2022 Accompanied by photos PDF National Register of Historic Places Inventory External links editUniversity of Oklahoma Libraries Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bizzell Memorial Library amp oldid 1168891343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
